Car roof



Aug. 8, 1933.

C. D. BONSALL CAR ROOF Filed April 30, 1931 2 Sheets-Shea?l 1 C. D. BONSALL Aug. 8, 1933.

CAR ROOF Filed April '30, 1931 2 Shees-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 8, 1933 t UNITEDf-sTATEs dParri?.N1" OFFICE; i

. CAR RoF i Y CharlesV David lBonsall, Pittsburgh,` Pal., assigner to P.,H. Murphy Company, New Kensington, Pa., a Corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 30, 1931. Serial No. 533,954 15 claims. (o1. v10a-5.4i)

This invention relates to car-roofsof theall- Y adjacent s ide' edges which are connectedfby yWeatherprooling seam'caps C of `substantially steel riveted-up type, wherein the roof ,sheets extend from side plate to side plate and are spaced apart along their adjacent margins which are connected by Weatherproofingseam caps that function as hollow exterior carlines.

The principalV object of the present invention is to devise a car roof of the above type which will be cheaper, strongeriand more rigid than previous'car roofsrhavingthe same Weight of metal. Another objectV is to prevent any water that may enter the seam caps fromreaching the interior of lthe car. The invention consists-in the car roof, and in the construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification-and wherein like sym bolslrefer to like partsfwherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a car roof embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is' a vertical transverse cross-section through the roof on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse cross-section through the ridge portion ofthe roof, the section being taken along one of the seams on the line 33Vin Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is avvertical cross-section through the roof at the eaves, the section being taken through one of the seams on the line: 1 -4 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section through one of the seams at the ridge on the line 5,--5 in Fig. 1,

section and are arranged with the inner ange;

1 upstanding and provided at its top with an integral flange 2 that extends inwardly at an angle conforming to the pitch of `the roof and serves as a support for theeaves end portions of the roof sheets A to restupon. The roof sheets A are provided with depending eaves flanges 3 that loverlap and are.. rigidly secured to the upstanding inner flanges `.lof the side lplatesby horizontal'rivets 4. Iheroof sheetsare'preferably formed with raised side marginal panels5 that terminate at the side edges of the sheets in upstanding 'seam flanges 6.-

The roof sheets A are'spaced apart along their inverted .channel-shaped cross-section that extend from' side plate to side plate and function 60 after the, mannerjof hollow exterior carlines. The seamv capsfC straddlethe spacedadjacent sidev marginal 1 flanges fof .adjacent roof sheets andl have their side walls rigidly secured respectivelytosaid flanges by rivets 7; andsaidseamz caps are provided' at the lower edges of their side walls with outstanding base flanges 8 that rest respectively upon the raised adjacent side marginal panels 5V of adjacent roof sheets. The seam caps are curved downwardlyjat their ends to close the sameand are provided with depending end flanges 9 that overhang the adjacent end portions'of `the depending eaves flanges 3 of adi jacent roof sheets and are rigidly secured thereto and to the side plates by rivets 4.

The adjacent `side marginal flanges 6 of adjacent roof sheets are held in `contact throughout their length with the side Walls of the invertedl of and have their depending side flanges rigidly securedllatwise to the respective sheet flanges by r rows of 'rivets 7 that" secure the latter to the respective side walls ofsaid seam caps.'` It' isa very important advantage ofthe strip lthat it, reinforcespthe side marginal flanges of the roof `sheets and the side walls of the seam caps againstl ilO buckling `andthereby. contributes greatly tothe strength and waterproofing qualities of the roof. Another advantage of the reinforcing and stilfening stripV is. that it permits a wider spacing of 'the vrivets 7 without danger lof 'the sheetvflanges 95 Iextends longitudinally of each of vvtheseam caps and the adjacentside marginal portions of the -1 0 0 adjacent roof sheets straddled thereby andvhas depending end flanges 12 `that. overlap andlgare l rigidly' secured to` the upstanding inner flanges 1 of the side plates B by therivetsfl that secure the eaves ends of the roof sheets and the 'seam 105 cap-to lsaid side plates. `The ,stripl l1` is wider than the space between `adjacent roof sheets and has Vits marginal portion` struckup beneath the fraised side marginal panels 5 of said roof.` sheets -to l form side vmarginal raised angesv 11a for the i110 roof sheets to rest upon and a longitudinal drain channel 13 for carrying away water that may 13 of said strip.'l The bolts 14 are provided with nuts 16 which, when tightened, cause thestrip 11 to be drawn upwardly against the underside of adjacent roof sheets to firmly clamp the raised side marginal panels 5 thereof against the undersides of the base 'flanges 8 of the seam cap C.

The roof is provided with `a longitudinal running board comprising sectionsl'l located -between adjacent seam caps with their upper surfaces disposed substantially kat theV levelrof the` highest points of the seam caps. The end portions of adjacent running board sectionsll? are supported on running board saddles 18 xed to the seam caps located therebetween. Each of Ysaidrunning board saddlescempris'es an inverted channel-shaped portion that straddles the seam cap and is riveted thereto and is provided at the lower edges o1" its side walls with outstanding base flanges 19 thatserve as supports for the adjacent end portions of adjacent running board sections which are rigidly secured to said flanges by vbolts 26. By this arrangement, thesections of the running board are located between the seam caps instead' of extending across the tops thereof and thus permit the outside height of the car to be reduced without decreasing the headrooml thereof orthe headroom of the car to be increased with'out increasing the outside height. These ruiming beard sections also serve as struts for preventing bowing of the seamy caps longitudinally of the car. f Y In the modified construction shown in Figs. v6 `and '7, a load-liftingbeam 21 is located beneath the roof sheets and is zheld in place byV means of y a bolt 14a suspended from the reinforcing strip 10. In .this construction, the load lifting beam 21 is `located beneath the strip il, and the bolt14a extends krthrough said strip and said beam and is provided at its lower end with a nut 16a, which serves 'to hold said lbeam in place andwto .force the raised side marginal flanges 11a, of said strip again-st the undersides `of the side-marginal` sheet panels 5 and thusholdthem in contact with the base flanges Y8 `of the` seam cap, j Y

In the modification shown in Fig, 8, the combined clamp and drain strip 11 is dispensed with and theA adjacentside marginalseam flanges of Yadjacent roof sheets have their upper portions lbent inwardly towards each other'so as tooverhang the reinforcing strip lila, which has a depressed middle portion 13d `that serves as a drain channel for carrying off any water that may be forced over the topof the sheet flanges onto said strip.

The hereinbefore described roof construction,

has the important advantage that it is `stronger and more durable and rigid and can be produced more cheaply than previous roofs' of the same type having the' same weight of metal; and Vit-has the c important additional advantages -of preventing y Obviously, the hereinbefore described construc-v tion admits of considerable `modification without "departing from the invention. rIfherefore, I do not llines between the spaced roof Y sheet flanges .straddled thereby and rigidly securedv to said flanges and to the side walls of said carlines.V

2. A car roof comprising roof sheets extending from side-plate .to .side -plate and spaced apart along their adjacent margins which are provided with upstanding iianges, flat-topped inverted channeishaped seam caps straddling the spaced side flanges of adjacent roof sheetainverted channel-shaped members located within said seam caps between the spaced roof slleet'flanges straddled thereby, andY means for rigidly securing `said flangesrand said members 'together' and to the respective Walls of said seam'caps.

3. A car'rcofcomprising roof sheets Y spaced 5100* apart along their adjacent margins which are provided with'upstanding flanges, inverted channel-shaped seamcaps straddling theV spaced side flanges of adjacent roof sheets, inverted channels.k

shaped members located within said seam caps and-extending substantially from end to endk thereof between the spaced lroof sheet-*flanges straddled thereby, and rivetsextending through and rigidly securing the side flanges of said inembers and said roof sheet flanges together and to the respective sides of said seamvcaps.

4. VA car roof comprising roof sheets extending from side plate to sidel plate 'and spaced apart along their adjacent margins .which are provided rwith upstanding ilanges, inverted'channel-shaped seam caps straddling the spaced ,side flanges of adjacent roof sheets, and members located within said seam caps between the spacedroof sheet flanges straddledthereby for holding the latter in contact with the sidewalls of the seam caps, said members comprising inverted channels located between the side flanges of adjacent sheets with their side flanges -secured thereto and to the side walls of said seam caps.

5. A carroof comprising roof sheets extending!" from side plate to side plate-and spaced apart along -their adjacent margins whichare provided with upstanding flanges, inverted channel-shaped seam caps straddling the spaced side flanges of adjacent roof sheets, members located Within said seam caps between the spaced roof sheet flanges straddled-thereby for holding the latter in Contact with'the side walls of the seam caps, and strips suspended fromsaid membersand extending substantially the width of the car with their side marc g along their adjacent margins which 'are` provided `with upstanding flangela'inverted channel-,shaped seam caps straddling the spaced side flanges of adjacent roof sheets, members located within said seam caps Vbetween the spaced roof sheet flanges straddled thereby for holding the latter in contact with the side walls of the seam caps, said Aseam r`caps having outstanding base flanges, and strips suspended from said members and extending s'ub' ris its

side edges, inverted channel-shaped seam caps straddling the spaced side flanges of adjacent roof sheets and having outstanding base flanges resting on the raised side marginal panels thereof, mem- Vbers located within said seam caps between the spaced roof sheet flanges straddled thereby, means for rigidly securing said-members to said roof sheet flanges and to the sides of said seam caps,V and strips suspended from said members with their side marginal portions offset upwardlyand extending beneath the raised side marginal panels of adjacent sheets for supporting said panels beneath the base flanges of said seam caps substantially throughout the length thereof.

8. A car roof comprising roof' sheets extending from side plate to side plateand spacedapart along their adjacent margins which are provided with upstanding flanges, inverted channel-shaped seam caps straddling the spaced side flanges of adjacent roof sheets, members located within said seam caps between the spaced roof sheet flanges straddled thereby for holding the latter in contact with the side walls of the seam caps, said seam caps having outstanding base flanges, and strips suspended from said members with their side marginal portions extending beneath adjacent sheets for supporting the latter beneath said base flanges, said strips extending from side plate to side plate and being provided with longitudinal drain channels for carrying off any Water that may enter the seam caps.

9. A car roof-comprising roof sheets extending from sideplate` to side plate and'spaced apart l). A car roof comprising roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate and spaced apart along their adjacent margins which are vprovided with upstanding flanges, inverted channelshaped seam caps straddling adjacent sideV marginal flanges of adjacent sheets, an inverted channel-shaped reinforcing strip located within each of said seam caps between the adjacent sheet flanges straddled thereby, means for rigidly securing the side flanges of said reinforcing strip to the roof sheet flanges and to the side `Walls of the seam cap, a load lifting beam suspended with upstanding flanges,inverted channel-shaped l seam caps straddling the adjacent side marginal flanges of adjacent sheets, an inverted channelshaped reinforcing strip located within each of said seam caps between theadjacent sheet flanges straddled thereby, meansfor rigidly securing the side flanges of said reinforcing strip to the roof sheet flanges and to the side walls of the seam cap, a load lifting-beam suspendedfrom said reinforcing member, and a strip resting on said beam and closing the channel in said seam cap,

`said strip having upwardly offset side `marginal portions that extend beneaththe side marginal portions` of adjacent sheets for supporting the latter.

12. A car roof comprising roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate and spaced apart along their adjacent margins which are provided with upstanding flanges, seam caps straddling the adjacent flanges of adjacent sheets, a member of substantially channel-shaped section located within said seam fcap between the sheet flanges straddled thereby, and means for securing the side flanges of saidI member to the sheet flanges and the latterto theside Walls of the seam caps, said sheet flangeshaving laterally bent upper portions that overhang said reinforcing member. Y

13. A car roof comprising roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate and spaced apart along their adjacent margins which are provided with upstanding flanges, seam caps straddling the adjacent flanges of adjacent sheets, a member of substantially channel-shaped section 1ocated within ysaid seam capbetween the sheet flanges straddled thereby, and means for securing the side flanges of `said member to the sheet flanges Vand the latter to the side walls of the seam caps, said sheet lflanges having laterally 'extending upper portions that overhang said reinforcing member, the web of said channel-shaped re- 1 inforcing` member being vprovided with a longitudinally extending trough.

14. A,car roof comprising roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate, flat-topped seam caps connecting the adjacent side margins of adjacent sheets, running boardsaddles of substantially inverted channel-shaped` cross-section straddling said seam caps and riveted to the tops thereof and provided atthe lower edges of their side walls with outstanding base flanges, and a running board comprising sections located between-adjacent running board saddles, the adjacent end portions of said running board sections beingsupported on the base flanges of the running board saddle located therebetween.

15. A car roof comprising roof sheets extending l.

from side plate to `side plate, flat-topped seam caps connecting the adjacent side `margins ofV `adjacent sheets, running board saddles of substantially inverted channel-shaped cross-section straddling said seam caps and riveted totheV tops thereof and provided at they lower edges, of

their side walls with outstanding base flanges, anda running board comprising sections locatedy between adjacent running board saddles, the adjacent end portions 'of said 'runningl board sections being supported on the base `flanges of the v running board saddle located therebetween with their upper surfacesl disposed substantially at the level of the highest points of said seam caps.

CHARLES Y DAVID BoNsALL. 

